Chapter 14: One last favour

Roseline's POV…

My father was lying in that hospital bed looking like someone had taken him apart.

A strange sound came from my chest that I couldn't quite place, not in that moment when it felt like my entire world had finally come crashing down.

Or was it just the sound of my own heart breaking into a million pieces?

I moved swiftly to my father's side, taking his hand in mine.

His grip was weak, I raised my eyes to meet his gaze. He was pale, almost unrecognizable, except for his eyes that hadn't changed. I could have sworn that it wasn't my Dad on the bed. 

He looked like someone standing on a thin line of life and death.

After what felt like hours of us remaining in silence, he finally spoke, “Roseline.”

His voice was still, but I could hear a slight groan that came with it.

His chest heaved with each breath he took.

Which was odd given I had just seen him last week, how could he be this ill-looking so fast? 

Or was I so caught up in my own world and fantasy that I hadn't realized there was something wrong with him?

A stab ran through my chest at the thought. 

My throat closed.

I had to force a loud exhale through my throat before I could speak, “Dad.” That was the only word I could manage to say, before I began sobbing. 

After a few minutes, I pulled myself together to finally speak.

“Why are you in the hospital? No one is telling me anything, the doctors aren't saying anything even Mr Roland won't utter a word to me… Dad, talk to me.”

“That's because I gave specific instructions to them not to tell you.” 

If he kept it a secret deliberately it only meant that the situation was even worse than I calculated in my head.

The pace of my heartbeat skyrocketed again, at this rate I might end up in a hospital bed like him.

“It's cancer.”

I was silent for a while just staring blankly like I hadn't just heard him.

He continued speaking, ignoring the fact that I hadn't responded to what he said earlier, “…Stage 4, my organs are giving out one by one.” 

“How long have you known?”

“Long enough.”

“What do we need to do? If it requires getting a transplant for every single one of them let's do it.”

“Some organs are just not replaceable.”

“So what are you saying, Dad?” The tone of my voice was slightly rising with each sentence that left my lips. 

He exhaled slowly. “I have a few months remaining at best.”

“So what are you just going to give up? And wait for your death date to arrive.” Now I was shouting.

“This is why I didn't want to tell you earlier.”

“No this is exactly why you should have told me.”

“You need to calm down.”

“How do you expect me to do that, when you just told me you have only a few months left?”

“We can do research, I heard that there are certain clinics in Thailand that treat people with cancer, and they have a really good success rate.”

“Trust me I have been to them, my condition has progressed too far.”

Another round of sobs broke out, my chest was in so much pain.

“Why did you keep this from me, why did you have to carry this burden on your own?”

“You are my daughter and it’s my duty to protect you and not scare you or make you pause your life.”

I paused, “Is that why you cut me off?” 

“I was only trying to make sure you can live in a world where I was not present.”

I turned my back to collect myself and wipe my tears, he was right I had to prepare for the worst and I would remain by his side even till his last breath.

I bit back another sob. I needed to be strong.

I went back to his side and took a seat beside him. 

“I hear you have a job now,” he chuckled lightly to ease the tension in the room. 

“Yes I do, but it’s average pay, nothing much.”

“Thats good, it’s a good start.”

“I was able to find out where you were working but my team never got back to me on where you live.”

My eyes widened, and I cleared my throat slightly. There was no way in hell I was going to tell my father I live with my boss.

“The company provides accommodation for us.”

He raised his eyebrows almost like he was waiting for me to crack and blurt out the truth.

“Well then your company takes confidentiality seriously because information about them isn’t easy to get.” 

“Yes, they are really confidential,” I stressed on the last word more than I ought to. 

I lost track of the hours after that.

A nurse came and gave my father his evening medications. 

My father dozed at some point, but I stayed, unwilling to move even when my legs went stiff and my back ached from the chair.

I didn’t get a wink of sleep either. I was too afraid that if I blinked the worst would happen. 

I don’t know how much time had passed when I finally stood, walked out into the corridor, and stopped.

Florian was still there.

He was in one of the plastic chairs against the wall, his long legs stretched out in front of him, arms folded across his chest.

He still hadn’t noticed my presence.

I walked to his side before he realized I had come out.

“Are you good?”

My heart beat paused, that was the first thing he asked me, he didn’t even know why I was here well I believe he didn't and his first cause of concern was if I was good.

Something in my chest shifted.

“Yes, I am.” I tried to sound fine, but the slight croak in my voice gave me away.

Florian just gave a light nod.

“Why didn’t you go home?”

“Well, I thought you would need someone to drive you back home.”

Truth is with the news dropped on me I had completely forgotten about Florian.

“My father's driver would drop me off when I am ready to leave.”

His eyes expressed concern, but he didn’t speak much.

“Okay, I would return home, if you need something you can call.”

I nodded.

This was weird for us. I had never seen this side of him or was it just my emotions being mixed up with how tired I was?

Florian left and I returned to the room. 

My father was now awake.

“We need to talk.”

I exhaled, my first line of thought was that he saw Florian and me speaking outside, but the next words that came out of his mouth left me stunned.

He went straight to the point, “You need to get married.” 

My breath seized immediately as they left his lips.